The Marauders Sing the Beatles
by GryffindorBeth
Summary: What happens when two pure blood wizards stumble upon the Fab Four? They fall into Beatlemania like the rest of the world, and find new ways to annoy Remus by singing. Rated T because the Beatles have some lyrics that can be interpreted many ways... XD
1. With A Little Help From My Friends

**A/N: I am proud to be an American... But I love the British culture. Seriously (siriusly). While I know that _Harry Potter _ and the Beatles do not make up all British people, they are some of my favorite things... And then it hit me. Why not combine them? It's perfect, actually, because the Beatles and the Marauders would be existing at similar points in history... And then I could just see James and Sirius singing "I get high with a little help from my friends". Th****e song is almost directly copied, but sometimes Peter and Remus have dialogue over the words, so don't let it mess up the tune!**

**DISCLAIMER: (APPLIES TO ENTIRE STORY) THE CHARACTERS AND PLACES IN THIS STORY ARE PROPERTY OF JK ROWLING, BLOOMSBURY, SCHOLASTIC, WARNER BROS, ETC. THE WORDS IN _ITALICS _ARE THE ORIGINAL LYRICS WRITTEN BY/FOR THE BEATLES. I DO NOT OWN THEM EITHER, NOR AM I MAKING ANY PROFIT... please don't sue me!**

* * *

**With A Little Help From My Friends**

During the summer between their fourth and fifth years, the Gryffindor boys spent a week with Remus Lupin's family. Remus's mother Hope was a Muggle, and she had been a big fan of the Beatles. Upon finding out that James, Sirius, and Peter had no idea who John, Paul, George, and Ringo were, Mrs. Lupin took no time in showing them all of her records. Remus had grown up listening to the music, and Peter didn't really like it, but James and Sirius fell in love with them. After purchasing a record player and as many Beatles albums as they could, James and Sirius set out to learn all the lyrics.

It was harder for them to listen to the songs in Hogwarts, but using his transfiguration skills James found a way. Peter and Remus had taken to hiding the albums so James and Sirius could not find them. On this Tuesday, however, they were jamming out.

"_What would you think if I sang out of tune?_" James sung with the Muggle record. "_Would you stand up and walk out on me?_"

"_Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song_," Sirius sang. "_And I'll try not to sing out of key_."

"_Oh I get by with a little help from my friends. Mm I get high with a little help from my friends; Mm gonna try with a little help from my friends_," they both sang together.

"SHUT IT!" Remus said, throwing a pillow at James, and then one at Sirius. That did nothing but make them sing the next verse louder.

"_What do I do when my love is away," _James sang.

"_Does it worry you to be alone?"_ Sirius sang back.

"It worries me that they seem to want to serenade us," Peter said over James's next line.

"That worries me as well. However, they seem to be getting quieter..." Remus said. Just then, the singing once again rose in volume, for this was Sirius and James's favorite part.

"_Do you need anybody?"_ Sirius sung.

"_I just need someone to love,"_ James sung back.

"_Could it be-e-e-e anybody?" _

_"I want somebody to love."_

"He want a certain Miss Evans to love, right Moony?" Peter asked.

"Yes, Wormtail."

_"What do you see when you turn out the light?" _(James)

"_I can't tell you but I know it's mine!" _(Sirius)

"_Oh I get by with a little help from my friends. Mmm I get by with a little help from my friends. Oh, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends." _(Both)

"The lyrics aren't too bad," Peter pointed out.

"Don't let them turn you too!" Remus exclaimed. Sirius and James were still singing in the background.

"Join in for the last chorus, you lot!" James hollered, turning the volume on the record player up.

"_Oh I get by with a little help from my friends," _sang Sirius and James. Peter shrugged before joining.

"_Mmm gonna try with a little help from my friends." _Remus looked at his three best mates in defeat. If you can't beat them... Join them. He sang along.

"_Oh I get by with a little help from my friends. Yes, I get by with a little help from my friends... With a little help from my friends!" _

**A/N: How was it? If you want more, I would suggest leaving a little blurb (even just one word) in the box below...**


	2. I Wanna Hold Your Hand

**A/N: So this chapter focuses more on story, and less on the song... But the song is still part of it! It's still the Marauders' fifth year (it's hard to tell... I don't think Lily is mean enough towards James in this chapter... Sorry). It's a long one, but I think it has a bit of humor.**

A few weeks later, Lily was freaking out. Petunia had sent her an angry letter, and Lily had no idea why. She hated when Tuney was mad at her, just hated it. Why didn't her sister understand that it wasn't Lily's fault only Lily was special. And then Mary had told her how Severus was hanging out with Death Eater wannabes again. Luckily for Lily, she and Remus had rounds that evening, and Remus happened to be a great listener.

Unknown to Lily, James had picked up on her crappy attitude in class all day. After supper, James decided that he would 'visit' her and Remus while they were on their rounds (aided of course by the map!). Sirius had agreed that this was a great idea, and Peter was the one who suggested singing a song. That idea made Sirius laugh his head off.

"Should I sing?" James asked. Remus and Lily had been out for an hour or so, and James didn't want to do it after hours and get a detention.

"Mate, if you sing to Lily... I don't know how she could turn you down," Sirius said, trying so hard to hide his laughter.

"Yeah, sing, Prongs. How about that one on the first album... '_I Wanna Hold Your Hand_?'" said Peter.

"Oi! Prongs, Wormtail's right for once! That's a great song! Here's the record player... Now go get your bird, mate!" said Sirius, handing him the portable machine and the map. Then, he pushed James out of the room and into the staircase... James was off to win Lily's heart!

* * *

Remus and Lily had talked through all of her problems, and Lily was actually starting to feel better. Until Potter showed, Lily was feeling like life might not be so terrible after all. But James did show, and Lily got irritated once more.

"_Oh yeah, I'll tell you something,_" James started singing as he walked over to where Lily and Remus stood. The record player was emitting the music just loud enough, and Remus could see a corner of the map peaking out from under it.

"_I think you'll understand,_" James continued, getting closer. Lily looked at Remus.

"Is he serious?" asked Lily.

"No, but I think Sirius had something to do with this," Remus said, chuckling a bit at his own joke.

"_When I'll say that something... I wanna hold your hand!" _James sang, now in front of Lily and Remus.

"Oh Merlin." Lily rolled her eyes. Here was James Potter to ask her out again. What a git. Could he not see that she was miserable all day?

"_I wanna hold your ha-a-a-an-n-d, I wanna hold your hand!"_

"Remus! Can you stop him?" Lily asked. She had listened to the Beatles, and in fact, knew the song. She knew if James sung her the entire thing, she just mght start to like it...

"I really don't think I can..." Remus said shaking his head. He too knew where this song went, and wondered which idiot had told James to sing it.

"_Oh please, say to me... You'll let me be your man..."_

_"_NO!"

"_And please, say to me... You'll let me hold your ha-a-a-a-a-n-n-n-d-d"_

_"_And absolutely NO!"

"_I wanna hold your hand!" _James was getting really animated with the lyrics, and, while it was fun to watch, he was really embarrassing himself.

"Mate, calm it down a notch..." Remus said, but James just waved him off.

_"And when I touch you I feel happy inside... It's such a feeling that my love... I can't hide.. I can't hide.."_

_"_Potter! When in Merlin's name have you 'touched' me? I'm getting a little perturbed by this song..." Lily said, pretending to back away. In reality, she was loving some of the attention. A wizard boy singing her a Muggle love song, actually kind of romantic.

"_Yeah, you've got that something... I think you'll understand... When I say that something... I wanna hold your hand!" _James now reached out for Lily's hand. She quickly pulled it away. Meanwhile, Remus thought he heard some snickering... other than his own, mind you. He decided to investigate...

"_And when I touch you I feel happy inside... It's such a feeling that my love... I can't hi-i-i-i-d-d-e... I can't HI-i-i-i-d-d-d-e-e..." _James sang. Lily laughed as he he danced around, making a fool of himself. She secretly thought he might not have come to be a pompous git. He might have come to be a regular old git, instead.

Remus, however, had found the source of the snickering. Under James's invisibility cloak were Sirius and Peter, hiding out to watch the show. He hadn't decided what to do about them yet. Should he reveal them and expose the prank they played on James? Or let them get away with it, for it had made Lily happy, despite what Remus had originally thought.

"_Yeah, you've got that something... I think you'll understand... When I say that something..."_ James took Lily's hand. She didn't pull away... not yet. She was too lost in the moment. Remus, however had decided to lift off the cloak.

"Found you lot," Remus whispered.

"Yeah, but you have to admit it was a great plan," Sirius said, tucking the cloak under his arm. "And it might've worked for the git; he's holding her bloody hand right now!"

"_I wanna hold your ha-a-a-a-an-n-n-d-d-d." _James finished. He let go of Lily's hand.

"Thanks, Potter. It really did cheer me up a little I guess. But you best be getting to bed, or it'll be detention," Lily said as she walked passed him down the corridor, onto the next empty classroom they were supposed to check.

"No problem, Evans," James whispered at her retreating back. She didn't hear. When he turned around, he saw all three of his mates doubled over in laughter.

"Great show, Prongs," Remus said controlling his laughter the quickest. "Really great voice you've got."

"Sod off," James said, blushing for the first time since walking up to Remus and Lily. This only made the other three howl louder.

**A/N: And? What do you think? A good balance of story and song? There's a little box below to leave your thoughts... Also, I'm taking requests for future chapters. My only stipulation is that it has to be a Beatles song (since the story name is "Marauders sing the Beatles"). Review Please!**


	3. Yellow Submarine

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! Yay! Here's to Moony1972 who has not only suggested a ton of songs for me to use, but has also review on both chapters! This is just around March of their fifth year, and they are trying to be a little more studious... Or not.**

When four fifteen year old boys sleep in the same bedroom without supervision, chances are they don't get to bed until late...or very late. However, on the weekdays the boys have to get up at seven; no exceptions, or they will miss breakfast. That was why Sirius was reading one night.

"Padfoot, are you reading?" James asked in mock surprise. In fact, all the Marauders (well, except maybe Peter) enjoyed a good book now and then. Sirius was reading a textbook, and that was the anomaly. Usually, (unless you were Remus) as a Marauder your textbooks stayed in perfect, unused condition because they, well, weren't.

"So funny, Prongs. Yes, I am reading, but it's because I want to find a spell that will set the record player to automatically come on in the morning to help us wake up," Sirius said, closing the dusty book. "With O.W.L.s coming (not that I'm going to do too much studying), I want to make sure I'm awake for McGonagall's lessons, as well as Flitwick's."

"I don't blame him, Prongs," Peter said looking up from his notes that he was reviewing. Even though the tests were not until late June (it was only late March) the fifth and seventh years had already begun to freak out. "Sprout yelled at me last week for falling asleep, remember?"

Sirius started to chuckle at the memory. Not only had Peter fallen asleep, but he then almost got attacked by one of the plants. It was priceless. Remus and James, who had been working on the other side of the greenhouse had missed the actual event, but everyone had heard Professor Sprout's lecture on getting enough sleep, and how dangerous Herbology really was. Sirius then got a detention for rolling his eyes at the wrong moment, and everyone quietly got back to work.

"It's really a simple concept, but let me do it," Remus said. He waved his wand and smiled. "There. It should start with a random song at seven tomorrow, that way we can listen to one, get ready while listening, and head down to the Great Hall before the owls come at eight."

"I hope it works, Moony," James said, shutting the curtains around his bed.

"I'm sure it will work, Moony," Peter said, also pulling the curtains closed. Normally the boys all closed them, but if they talked late into the night, they would sometimes leave them open.

"What song do you think it will play?" Sirius asked.

"I am the Walrus."

* * *

It was exactly seven when the record player did in fact start to play; however, it was playing "Yellow Submarine" instead of Remus's guess.

_"In the town where I was born... lived a ma-a-an, who sailed to sea," _the album played. All four boys simultaneously rolled over. Peter pulled a pillow over his head.

_"And he told us of his life... In the la-a-nd of submarines..." _The music, while lulling Sirius further into sleep, was starting to wake James.

"_So we sailed up to the sun...'Til we found the sea of green... And we lived beneath the waves... In our Yellow Submarine."_ James was now almost conscious. Recognising the song, he started to laugh. Sirius, however, was realizing the suggestibility of dreams to stimuli. He had been dreaming about a certain Muggle-born (her name is not important; he only liked her because his parents would not), but suddenly, she disappeared and was replaced with James. He was in Muggle scuba gear (which they had seen on a trip to the coast with Mrs. and Mr. Potter the previous summer).

"_We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine... We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine," _James sang with the record player-turned-alarm clock.

Sirius now was seeing a big yellow ship underwater, however, and a bunch of dancing fish. James was trying to pull him into the ship, but Sirius was still looking for his lost date. Peter's snores were growing loud, even though they had almost stopped when the music had originally started. Remus was on the verge of consciousness, but he desperately wished he was still dreaming when he thought he heard James singing along. Could that boy not keep his mouth closed?

"_And our friends are all on board... Many more of them live next door...And the band begins to play..." _James was now singing at the top of his lungs, hoping to arouse some of his roommates. Sirius's dream took another turn, for now he was living in a house on the ocean floor with James, Remus, and Peter, while Lily and Mary, and a few others lived in a house next door. There was also a big dancing octopus outside in a garden... But who knows where that came from?

Remus, however, was giving into the fact that he was awake, and chose to help James wake the others by singing. Together, the sang "_We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine... We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine."  
_

Sirius's dream was getting just plain weird, he thought, as the different horns and such sounded off. Then it sounded like they were really on a ship... People were shouting orders...

These same orders once again helped raise Peter from the depths of sleep. He wiped the stuff from his eyes to see James and Remus, each on their own bed, pretending to give the orders. They were having way to much fun with this song for fifteen (well, James would soon turn sixteen) year old boys. Peter watched them sing the next verse, doing a sort of call-and-response technique. His friends sure were weird.

"_We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine...__We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine...__We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine..._ _We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine..."_ Peter joined James and Remus. As they finished the last line and the music started to fade out, Remus sent a spell at the record player to shut it up.

Sirius found his dream getting foggier and foggier... until his face felt really, really wet. Like it had been submerged in water. Like it was soaking wet, and so were his sheets, and his pajamas. "Wa' happened?" he asked groggily.

"You didn't wake up; it's nearly eight, so Remus decided to throw a couple buckets of water on you," James said.

"It was not my idea, it was yours," said Remus, backing away from James. "I just might've suggested the most efficient way to do that..."

"Aguamenti," Peter said with a smirk, sending yet another jet of water into Sirius's face.

**A/N: So? Please review. I hate to beg, but if i must... I will. I've already got the end of the entire story planned out, but I still have to get through sixth year to get there... Thank Merlin the Beatles have over 200 songs... Give me (practical! [I look at you, Moony]) ideas for songs to use, please.. I don't know all of them, and I won't pretend to!**


	4. Paperback Writer

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who's given me a suggestion, and/or just taken the time to review. This one has the time, so I don't need to tell you. **

**However, I wanted to add that this record player I keep referring to is probably not anything like a real record player. I keep picturing a CD player, but those didn't exist yet, and then I was like "oh, how about the Walkman?" but those didn't come out until the eighties... So it is magically enhanced and then shrunken down so it's portable. So that's the story with that, and now here's this next chapter!**

* * *

As the end of their fifth year came to a close, Sirius started spending lots more time writing than usual.

"What the bloody hell are you writing?" Remus asked one night. Actually, to be more specific it was the night after the last O.W.L. test, and the boys had planned on relaxing in the common room with a new prank.

"Oh, just my biography," said Sirius without any hint of a joke. Remus just stared. James rolled his eyes.

"What do you mean, your Biography? Your only fifteen, you haven't done anything yet!" Remus said. The look Sirius gave his friends was so Sirius (both forms of the word :P), that Peter could barely hold back his laughter.

"I'm writing my 'early beginnings' and 'life at Hogwarts' sections. Then I'm going to write about becoming Animagi and running around with our werewolf pal. And then I'm going to write a list of all the biggest and best pranks we've ever done," Sirius said, the quill still flourishing as he was talking.

"Really, Padfoot? You know in the past year we've done about zero legal activity..." James started. Sirius cut him off with a look.

"That's why I'm titling it The Not-So-True But Not Yet False Tale of Sirius Black."

"You've got such a big head," said Remus, shaking his.

"Takes one to know one," Sirius said. He was obviously distracted, for his comebacks were much lamer than usual.

"Let's hear some of this amazing story," James said, relaxing into his bed. Sirius closed his notebook, grabbed the record player, and popped in one of the albums. The music started soft, but James knew exactly what song he was going to play.

"The Not-So-True But Not Yet Entirely False Tale of Sirius Black," Sirius recited. He then opened his notebook to the first page and read (with Paul McCartney) "_Dear sir or ma'am will you read my book? It took me years to write, will you take a look?"_

"He's quoting the Beatles in his introduction? Really?" Peter asked, rolling his eyes.

"It is Sirius; he might think himself that important," Remus replied with a shake of his head. Sirius had paused the song for the interruption; he now cleared his throat and continued.

"_It's based off a novel by a man named Lear... And I need a job, so I want to be a paperback writer... Paperback writer!"_

"Actually, Padfoot, I do believe that it's based off a novel called YOUR BLOODY LIFE!" James said, stealing the record player from Sirius and stopping it.

"Prongs, I take offense," said Sirius.

"Padfoot, I don't care." Sirius turned away from his friends moodily, and began to write in his notebook once more.

* * *

It was about two hours after Sirius had read to them; about half an hour ago he had stormed off to the common room. Because Remus also had Prefect duties, it was just Peter and James left in the dorm. Peter sat on his bed (James thought he was sleeping), while James sat and read some Muggle fairy tales by the Grimm brothers.

"Prongs?"

"What, Wormy?"

"Could you put that song back on? I really do like it..."

"Sure, Wormy."

"Now?"

"_Yes,_ Wormtail. Just let me finish this page, alright?"

"Okay, James." A few seconds later, James reached over and hit the play button.

"_It's the dirty story of a dirty man... And his clinging wife doesn't understand," _Peter sang. This surprised James, for he never sung unless James or Sirius was singing, too.

"_His son is working for the Daily Mail... It's a steady job but he wants to be a paperback writer..." _

_"PAPERBACK WRITER!" _Sirius sung at the top of his lungs from the doorway. There goes all chance of more reading, James thought sullenly. He really liked these Grimm fairy tales, even if Cinderella's stepsister cutting off her toe wasn't exactly the same story Lily had told him...

"_Paperback writer!" _Sirius and Peter sang together. "_It's a thousand pages, give or take a few... I'll be writing more in a week or two..."_

James started to ignore his friends. He really wanted to read these stories so he could impress Evans with his immense knowledge, but if he kept listening to those two gits singing, there would be not chance of that. He was had just finished Sleeping Beauty when Sirius held up a note asking him to please join in the fun. It was the last bit of the song, and James's favorite part...

"_Paperback writer! Paperback writer! Paperback writer! Paperback writer..." _As the three boys sang the main vocals and harmonies, James couldn't help but think how much he loved his mates, even when he wanted to do other things. The music began to fade...

"Oi! Did Sirius give you a real excerpt without me?"

* * *

**A/N: Please Review... I really like the idea of Sirius writing a book... Hmm, maybe that will be explored more in another story. **

**You know who has really great stories? Moony1972. She's an amazing author and reviews EVERY single chapter. So shoutout to Moony. **

**As always, song ideas (and situations?) are welcome, as well as any stylistic suggestions. Thanks to all my readers. **


	5. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! There's a lot of story before you get to the song... Like the first thousand words or so... Anyway, I can't really think of anything else to say... Except enjoy!**

It was three weeks into summer holiday, and sadly the four boys were all at their houses. Peter was happy to be home, but his parents were being a little pushy... They were almost agreeing with You-Know-Who! Remus had gone to spend a week with his parents, and since it was the full moon, this was the week first week he had chosen. Sirius had gotten dragged to the Black House right off the Hogwarts Express, and none of the boys had heard from him since. James was lonely at his parent's place. He loved the school year so much; he loved people. Growing up as the only child was hard on him, but at least when he was little people were not afraid to leave their house and talk to other wizards. Now, however, with You-Know-Who and his reign of terror, James was stuck moping around the neighborhood alone.

Monday of that week, a note came from Remus:

_**Full moon coming; Mum and Dad said that you lot can come for a couple of days afterwards. Have you heard anything from Padfoot? I'm getting worried. Maybe his mum murdered him... You know, to spare the pain of having a traitor for a son? Lily said that Snape (ew. I can't believe she talked to that... well, Mum might read this before she sends it...) anyway, she said that Snape said that Regulus told him Sirius was going to run away. I'm not sure if you want to consider that reliable, but it's the only news I've had so I figured I'd pass it along. I'm sending a note to Pete, too.  
Hope to see you soon,  
Moony**_

And then Tuesday, James got a letter from Peter:

**Hello, James! How are you? I'm fine, thanks for your letter. No, I haven't heard anything from/about Sirius, but if/when I do, I'll let you or Remus know ASAP. Did you get your O.W.L. results yet? Mum was a little disappointed with mine... You and Sirius and Remus probably did loads better than me. Oh well. Do you think McGonagall will let me continue Transfiguration? Then again, there is no way Slughorn will let me take Potions with those results... bye-bye Auror dreams. Did you notice the colder weather this year? I wonder why it's been so awful this year. I can't stand it. Summer's supposed to be happy. This one just doesn't feel happy.  
Well, now I've gone on and on... Will I see you at Remus's?  
Wormtail**

James had indeed gotten his O.W.L. results, and he had done exceptionally well. In fact, his mum said he did better than she did! The only thing he did bad in was History of Magic and Runes... (He had only taken the core classes, Runes, Muggle Studies, and Arithmancy). No one had word from Sirius, though... That scared James. Even if he was straight (that's not a question!), he still loved his best mate. They were like brothers by now; they finished each others sentences, thoughts, and food.

Finally, Friday, something from Sirius showed up.

* * *

"James, how was your day?" Mrs. Potter asked her son, passing him some homemade beer-battered fish.

"It was boring, Mum. I miss my friends. No one talks to anyone here, at least not anymore. Are you sure You-Know-Who didn't get all the neighbors?" James asked, the end being a joke.

"JAMES IGNOTUS POTTER! You do not joke about You-Know-Who! His attacks are very, very real, son. Next year you come of age, and yet you still don't get it!" Mr. Potter yelled. As an Auror, Mr. Potter was very much against the dark arts, and even more against anyone making light of using the dark arts.

"Yes, Dad. I know that. I was just saying that rather than banding together, the wizarding world has let itself be split apart by him," James said, trying to explain his case. His parents really didn't care too much, however. Mr. and Mrs. Potter seemed really swell most of the time, and all of his friends loved them, but they were constantly looking down on James.

"Well, I don't want to hear any more jokes about that at my table. Understand?"

"Yes, Dad." They sat in silence for a few minutes, eating. James longed for last summer, when Sirius had sat across the table during many silent family meals making faces. He said that he and Regulus used to do it for each other years ago... James was brought back to the present by a knock echoing from the front door. "I'll get it!" James said, bolting straight out of his seat and away from the quiet meal.

"Potters? Anyone home?" Sirius called from the front step. He was looking rather disheveled, but that would happen when you ran away from home.

"PADFOOT?" James yelled as he pulled the oaken door open. There, in ripped jeans, a maroon Gryffindor shirt, and black Converse stood Sirius Black. He had a little drawstring bag on his back, but it didn't look as though he had brought much with him.

"It's me, Prongs," Sirius said with a grin. He then pulled James into a (very manly) hug.

"What happened?" James asked. Three weeks without a peep from Sirius, and then he shows up on his doorstep?

"It's a long, long, complicated story..." Sirius began as he and James walked into the house.

"James, who is it?" Mrs. Potter yelled from the dining room.

"Let's go show her, eh?" James said. Sirius nodded, and the two walked into the room.

* * *

"Your parents are great, mate," Sirius said as both boys sunk into the two twin beds in James's bedroom a few (many, many) hours later.

"Thanks?" James said, rifling through an old notebook looking for paper to write to Remus and Peter.

"Seriously-"

"No way, Sirius is serious?" James joked, writing a quick message to both boys.

"Ha-ha." Suddenly Sirius asked "D'you have the record player?"

"Of course I do, Sirius," James said, ripping out the piece of paper and attaching it to his barn owl. "What would I do, leave it at Hogwarts?"

"I don't know," Sirius said, mentally kicking himself for sounding so stupid. "Can we listen to a song? I really want to be happy."

"Sure. How about Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds?"

"That's the one with the girl in the sky with tangerine trees, right?"

"Yeah, I think..."

"Sounds good to me!" James hit play.

"_Picture your self in a boat on a river, with tangerine trees and marmalade skies," _the song began. Sirius joined in with the next part.

"_Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly... A girl with kaleidoscope eyes..."_

"John Lennon had to be on something when he was writing this," James muttered.

"He was on happiness!" Sirius said, and continued singing "_Cellophane flowers of yellow and green... Towering over your he-a-ad... Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes and she's gone..."_

James couldn't help but join in for this part. As much as he didn't like drug use (wizards had their own forms of drugs... Potions that could impair your judgement), this song was _really_ catchy.

"_Lucy in the sky-y-y-y with di-i-a-a-monds... Lucy in the sky-y-y-y with Di-i-a-a-monds, Lucy in the sky-y-y with Di-a-amonds... Ahhh, ahhh," _James stopped as soon as the chorus was over.

"_Follow her down to a bridge by a fountain... Where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies... Everyone smiles as you drift by the flowers... That grow so incredibly high!"_

_"Lucy in the sky-y-y-y with di-i-a-a-monds... Lucy in the sky-y-y-y with Di-i-a-a-monds, Lucy in the sky-y-y with Di-a-amonds... Ahhh, ahhh," _both boys sang again. Little did they know that Mrs. Potter was standing outside of the door, listening to them and laughing her head off. She had originally gotten out of bed to tell them to shut up, but now she didn't want them to stop; they were too funny. Before James was born she had done work with Muggles, and knew the song... and she didn't think Sirius and James were doing a very good impersonation of Paul and John.

"_Picture yourself on a train in a station.."_ Sirius began the next verse.

"That makes me think of the Hogwarts Express! Moony! Wormy! I miss you!" James said louder than Sirius was going to sing at two in the morning.

"_Suddenly someone is there at the turnstyle... A girl with kaleidoscope eyes!" _Sirius sang again after James's outburst.

"_Luc__y in the sky-y-y-y with di-i-a-a-monds... Lucy in the sky-y-y-y with Di-i-a-a-monds, Lucy in the sky-y-y with Di-a-amonds... Ahhh, ahhh... __Lucy in the sky-y-y-y with di-i-a-a-monds... Lucy in the sky-y-y-y with Di-i-a-a-monds, Lucy in the sky-y-y with Di-a-amonds... Ahhh, ahhh...__Lucy in the sky-y-y-y with di-i-a-a-monds... Lucy in the sky-y-y-y with Di-i-a-a-monds, Lucy in the sky-y-y with Di-a-amonds.."_ they sang until the music faded out. A few seconds later, Mrs. Potter knocked on the door.

"Boys? Go to bed. You'll both be there in the morning to talk, and Mr. Potter and I would really like to sleep," she said sweetly through the door.

"Yes, ma'am," Sirius yelled. James laughed. Within five minutes, both boys were out.

**A/N: Please review!**


	6. Penny Lane

**A/N: I know it's been a long time... (a whole what, two days?) Anyway, this story is pretty good in my opinion... A few of people like it, (12 reviews total! Go me!) Thanks to hiddlestonedxx who reviewed and gave me several good ideas (not this one, but look in the future) and Moony1972 (who as always helped keep me going XD) And thanks to katiek121 who has reviewed for most of the chapters, too. I think that's all I wanted to say... OH YEAH! This story skips bits of the song, but when I like acted it out (I have Penny Lance on a CD), those were the phrases that didn't need to be there.. They made it more confusing! So watch out for that. **

A few days after he showed up at the Potter house, Sirius realised why James missed their friends so much during the summer. Mr. and Mrs. Potter, while have extremely large hearts, were not always the easiest people to get along with. Both boys were glad when the full moon had passed, and Mr. and Mrs. Lupin invited them for a short visit.

"MOONY!" James said running up to embrace Remus, who was still a bit weak from the recent transformation.

"Erm, hi, Prongs," Remus said, squirming under his friend's firm grasp.

"Moony! You have no idea how much we've missed you and Wormy! Prongie's parental unit can be a bit boring and lack, well, _fun_," said Sirius giving him a hug after James finally let go.

"Oh, really? I thought we loved Mr. and Mrs. Potter last year?" Remus said as he walked with his friends up the drive to his house.

"Well, Mum and Dad were pretty swell, and they still give me loads of freedom, but Dad's gotten really worried about... You-Know-Who. He's afraid that they've been too lenient with my love for pranking, and that I might join the dark side."

"Don't they know how much you love Lily?" Sirius asked. Sirius knew as much as one could about the Death Eaters without being one; every young member of his family was one or aspiring to be.

"I don't know, Pads, I really don't know."

"Moony?" Sirius asked. Remus was the one who was best at working out problems.

"Listen, I don't think anyone really knows how much Prongs loves Lily, us included, Padfoot. But I will tell you this: Snape is working his butt off to become one, something that's been troubling Lily. No matter how much you have against him, James and Sirius, he **did** and or **does** love her, and she liked him back. If he can become one..." said Remus, leaving the end to be filled in by his friends.

"He's a slimy old snake! No man with any guts would dare join a group that'd go after the girl you love!" James said indignantly. "I'm no snake! I'm a proud Gryffindor lion!"

"Breathe, Prongs. I wasn't saying you were going to. In fact, I know you weren't. It's just the fact of the matter. No one can trust anyone else these days, and we're damned for trying," said Remus. They had reached the front door, but none of the boys wanted to finish their discussion yet.

"Moony's right, Prongs. Is that food I smell coming from Hope's kitchen, Moony?" Sirius said, yanking open the door.

"Probably. And don't go calling my Mum by her first name!"

* * *

A couple of days after Sirius and James had arrived, Peter finally showed. His mum hadn't wanted him to go, saying that she had never met the Lupins, and that in the present climate it was not a good idea to be spending time with strangers. One howler from Mrs. Potter (who she _did_ know) later, and Peter was on the front step.

That afternoon, Hope Lupin was in the kitchen cooking supper and listening to her favorite Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. As the four boys lumbered in from outside, her favorite song ("Penny Lane") started to play. She couldn't help but sing along.

"_In Penny Lane there is a barber showing photographs, of every head he's had the pleasure to know..."_ Hope sang. Remus heard his mother's voice and tried to usher his friends back outside. They were not getting the message, however.

"Remus, is that your mum?" Peter asked, taken aback.

"Yeah, now shut it before I hurt you. I **do** turn into a violent creature once or twice a month..." Remus replied. James and Sirius snickered.

"_And all the people that come and go, Stop and say hello... On the corner is a banker with a motorcar," _Mrs. Lupin continued. She hadn't heard the boys enter, or else she might have quieted down.

"Your mum -"

"Don't finish that, Black," Remus said, blushing ever so slightly.

"Bloody hell, I was just going to say she has a nice voice. No need to be so protective. Merlin, can't say anything here, can we, Prongs?" Sirius said. He looked at James, expecting support, but none was given.

"It sounds like those Muggle jokes: Your Mum's so blank that blank. I don't blame Remmy for getting a little defensive. If it were my mum, I'd protect her, too," said James, offering a small smile in Remus's direction. Either he was too mad or too distracted to notice, for he didn't acknowledge it at all.

"_In the pouring rain, Very strange..." _Hope sang._  
_

"_PENNY LANE IS IN MY EARS AND IN MY EYES..." _Sirius sang with Mrs. Lupin at the top of his lungs. She was startled, there in the kitchen, but being as they were all in the other room, she just pretended not to notice and carried on:_ "There beneath the blue suburban skies, I sit and meanwhile back..."_

Sirius stopped as she continued with the next verse. Peter laughed. James shook his head but smiled. Sirius had a wide grin dancing on his face. If looks could kill, Remus's probably would.

"Sirius Black, you are a guest in this house, and as a guest you shall give respect to the owners of the house!" Remus whispered angrily.

"_He likes to keep his fire engine clean; It's a clean machine..."_ Hope sung without her partner. Sirius whispered something in Peter's ear, and he began to blush furiously and laugh. Remus grit his teeth.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Remus asked louder than he meant.

"I told Wormy that there are several different meanings to that one line. It's very creative."

"What do you mean? It's a fireman who likes to have a clean truck."

"Well, taken out of context, it could just be a man, who likes to keep his [at this point the hands went up to start the air-quotes] -" Sirius was cut off.

"Bloody hell, Sirius? How in Merlin's name did you think of that?" Remus asked, incredulous. Sirius just winked.

"_Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes; Four of fish and finger pies; In summer, meanwhile back..." _This time James had sung the chorus with James and Mrs. Lupin.

"You did not just sing with the loony," Remus asked. The song marched on.

"Yeah, I did," James said, smiling.

"What's a 'fish and finger pie?'" Peter asked.

"You don't want to know, Wormy," Sirius said, barely containing his bark of a laugh.

"Let me just say that it's not a fish and finger pie... it's four fish.. and then a finger pie," said James, attempting to help clarify the meaning without having to spell it out.

"Four of fish... Like fish and chips?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, Pete," Remus said.

"_And then the fireman rushes in; In the pouring rain, very strange,"_ Mrs. Lupin sang.

"_Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes; There beneath the blue suburban skies; I sit, and meanwhile back; Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes; There beneath the blue suburban skies... Penny Lane!"_ Peter joined James, Sirius, and Hope for the last verse, further maddening Remus.

Hope walked out of the kitchen. "Thank you boys so much for singing with me. Rem told me how much you all love them, and that song really reminds me of my childhood home. You all have lovely voices."

"Why, thank you, Mrs. Lupin," Sirius said as sweetly as possible. Remus snarled. Mrs. Lupin walked away.

"See, Rem? She loved it," James said, smirking.

"Shut it, you wankers."

**A/N: I was a little harsh with the language... wasn't I? Guess I should have said something up top... Oh well. It's T for a reason. Please review with your thoughts XD**


	7. Birthday

**A/N: I feel like it's been a really, really long time since I updated this... I've just been so busy! This was not the chapter I was planning on writing, however, yesterday was my best friend's birthday (and I meant to have it up then... curse the two-hour long mass I went to last night!) and I really wanted to write something for her. I really do like this song (and this chapter), but it has the least bit of the song in it.. It's a great song, but really hard to write out... Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and please review! **

As August wound down, the four boys grew more and more anxious to get back to school. The world was starting to become a dark and terrible place, and school was very sheltered. Mr. and Mrs. Potter continued to 'educate' the boys on the harmful effects of the Dark Arts, while Peter's parents were becoming more controlling of him than ever. Only Mr. and Mrs. Lupin seemed to trust their son and his friends.

A week before they were to head back to school, the boys all met in Diagon Alley. Book shopping proved to be difficult for Sirius that year, for his family vault at Gringotts would no longer open for him. Mrs. Potter told him not to worry, and bought all his supplies with the Potter family fortune. She called it 'an early birthday present' since his birthday was only two weeks away. Sirius mumbled that he didn't really want textbooks for his birthday, causing Remus, James, and Mr. Potter to laugh.

* * *

"MORNING, PADFOOT, MY DEAR MATE!" James yelled the morning of September the sixth. It was their first Monday back at school; on a more important note, it was Sirius's birthday.

"Oy, Prongs. I'm still getting my beauty sleep!" Sirius called from behind his bed hangings. According to Remus's watch it was only 12:00 a.m.

"How can you sleep? It's your SEVENTEENTH BIRTHDAY! You're of age now!" James yelled.

"James, for Merlin's sake, shut the bloody hell up or I will curse your mouth closed," Remus said, sitting up and staring down his friend. Twelve in the morning was way to early to be awake on a school night, especially so early in the year.

"Fine. I guess you'll just have to open this later..." James said, trying to antagonise Sirius. Sirius replied with a loud snore, causing Remus to laugh into his pillow.

* * *

When the boys actually awoke at a reasonable hour, the last thing they wanted to do was go to class. Needless to say, Sirius was quite happy to discover the free period they had right after breakfast every Monday morning this year.

"Won't that be great! We can stay up late planning, and catch up on sleep then!" Sirius said, referring to the long list of pranks they planned on completing this year.

"Er, yeah, but I was thinking more about the homework aspect, myself," James said, sheepishly.

"We are going to do all of our homework _before_ it's due this year, Prongs!" said Remus sternly.

"Sure we are for the first few days. Then it will get tedious, like every year so far, and we'll play the catch-up game all year."

"Peter?" Remus asked, "What do you think?"

"I don't have a free period then."

"That stinks, Mate," Sirius said, "You'll miss me opening all my gifts."

"Oh yes, that's exactly what stinks about this arrangement, Padfoot. Merlin, sometimes you have such a big head," Remus said, shaking his.

"Well, today that's what's a problem!"

"Girls, girls, calm down. We'll just have to save presents for later, then," said James in an attempt to stop the oncoming argument.

"_WHAT? Are you crazy!" _Sirius shouted. "Not open my presents until after lessons!"

"I think it's a great idea. It'd show me that Sirius has some self-control," Remus said, smirking.

"Remmy, c'mon! Everyone know's I can't wait that long!"

"You don't have to do it for me. I know what I got you, and I'm sure I'll see what everyone else did later," Peter said softly.

"Pete, we're opening his presents tonight, and that's final," James said. Sirius seemed to melt.

"Gifts... candy... Quidditch stuff..." Sirius mumbled as they made their way into the Great Hall.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIRIUS BLACK!" yelled everyone at the Gryffindor (and a few people from the other houses too, including Regulus) as the boys sat down.

"Can I _please_ open them when we go back up?" Sirius whispered to his friends.

"No, mate. This is something you need to do," James whispered back. Remus nodded, but was barely concealing a grin.

* * *

The four boys all had advanced in Transfiguration, and that was their last class Monday afternoons. James raced to the classroom ahead of his friends before class, so he could talk Minnie McGonagall into letting him leave early from class and set up Sirius's party. While Professor McGonagall had her doubts, James's heart was in the right place, and she couldn't help but say yes.

Sirius, for his part, did notice James leaving early, and guessed that he was going back to the common room to do something. He just had no clue what that something was. When the Fat Lady's portrait swung open, noise came wafting out at Remus, Sirius, and Peter.

"_They say it's your birthday!"_ the tiny record player emitted the voice of the Beatles.

"Really, James?" Sirius asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"_It's my birthday too, yeah!"_ James sang with the recording. Sirius pulled him into a hug.

"_They say it's your birthday!"_ Remus joined in.

"_We're gonna have a good time," _Peter joined.

"I'm glad it's your birthday," James said in Sirius's ear as the others sang.

"_Happy birthday to you!_" Sirius walked over to his favorite plush armchair by the fire. Stacked by next to it was a towering pile of gifts. On the side-table sat a small basket of cards.

"_Yes we're going to a party party... Yes we're going to a party party... Yes we're going to a party party..."_ Lily and Mary MacDonald joined in with the boys. As much as Sirius got on Lily's nerves, she thought everyone had a right to be happy on his or her birthday (and Mary, who had a crush on Sirius, really wanted to help James and Remus with his surprise).

"Wow, mates. You even got Evans to sing for me!" Sirius said sporting a wide, toothy grin. He was happy.

"_I would like you do dance!"_ Mary sang her part with James without blushing.

"_Birthday!" _Everyone else in the common room sang.

"When did you lot practice this?" Sirius wondered aloud.

"_Take a cha-cha-cha-chance!"_ James and Mary sung again.

"_Birthday_" the rest of the common room sang.

"Seriously, (ha, siriusly) this is impressive," Sirius said toward his friends.

_"I would like you to dance,"_ James and Mary sang one more time.

"_Birthday!" _all the other students sang.

"This is the best birthday, ever!" Sirius said. As they sang the rest of the song, Sirius couldn't help but join in here and there. It wasn't everyday you turned seventeen and lost the trace!

* * *

"Did you pay Evans and Mary to sing, Prongs?" Sirius asked. The boys were back in their dormitory, and they were all getting ready for bed.

"How _did_ you get them to sing, mate?" Peter asked James. The song thing had been his idea totally; Remus and Peter just had to show up to practice.

"They volunteered," said James, and he shrugged.

"No way," Sirius said, "Evans hates me most of the time!"

"Mary has a crush on you," Remus said from behind his bed curtains.

"Really?"

"Yes, Lily was complaining about how intolerable you lot were, and that she couldn't see _why_ her best friend, now that Snape is out of the picture, just had to like one of us," Remus said, still not opening his curtains to join the conversation.

"WOW! She's even a mudblood - if we started to date and Mum and Dad found out... Why, they'd have a fit!"

"Pads, go to sleep," James said.

"Why should I? I wanna go ask Mary on a date!"

"Pads, sleep on it first," James said, silently sending a spell to keep the door from opening.

"No, I wanna go ask Mary out to Hogsmeade..."

"Mate, wait. You just called her... not a Muggle-born, 'kay? I think you're tired, and I don't want you to ruin this for either of you. So go to bed and ask her in the morning."

"Did I really say mudblood? I could have sworn I said..."

"Sirius, shut the bloody hell up and get to sleep. I'm tired, and the full moon's next week, which means I'll be missing even more sleep." Remus said.

"Well, that's a nice way to say goodnight to your best mate on his birthday," Sirius said huffily.

"It's not your birthday anymore," Remus said. Indeed, it wasn't. Remus's watch read 12:01.


	8. Mr Moonlight

**A/N: Hello, people! Hope you all had a very hoppy Easter (get it?) Anyway, here's the next chapter! Thanks to Moony1972 who gave me the idea for this chapter... About five chapters ago ;) Please review! No new chapter until I get... Three reviews, okay?**

About a week after Sirius's birthday, the boys decided it was time to plan their next **Full Moon Adventure of Crazy Amazing Awesomeness**. Sirius, of course, had come up with the name, and they called it the **FMACAA** when they were in public. Well, at least, that's what Sirius called it. James and Remus preferred to call it **FMA** (Full Moon Adventure), which they could tell anyone who asked: "it's our study group: the Finals Mission: Advance... Yes, Peter came up with the name."

* * *

"Well, Moony, what do you want to do? Visit Hogsmeade?" Sirius asked. They were gathered in their dorm, a charm on the door so no one could overhear them.

"NO! That was way-y-y to close last time," James said shaking his head vigorously. Sirius and James were big enough animals that they could usually control werewolf-Moony, but they almost messed up last time. Sirius got distracted by leftovers from the Three Broomsticks, and were-Remus had almost gotten away. They joked about it afterwards, but none of them wanted anyone to get hurt.

"Well, what do you suggest then, Prongs?" Sirius asked. Out of all of them, Sirius was the most careless. He'd take were-Remus anywhere, and that was both good and bad.

"I dunno, I just think the village is a bad idea. Too many people could see him."

"He's got a point, Padfoot," Remus said carefully. There was the rush of joy at planning, due to the fact that his friends hadn't abandoned him; however, Remus always felt like he was disobeying Dumbledore, who he really looked up to and respected.

"Well, fine. We don't _have_to do anything, you know. We could let you suffer all alone..." Sirius said. "Wait, that sounded cruel. That's not what I meant, Moony!"

"Pads, you're such a prat," James joked. He thought Sirius's statement was kind of mean, but he also knew Remus was good with the fix-up (he was smiling).

"At least I don't have all the girls telling me that," Sirius retorted. James threw his hands up in defeat; Evans still managed to call him a git last week, and he had been trying so hard...

* * *

"Hey, Moony, listen to this song Sirius, James, and I've been practicing!" Peter said the next night when Remus got back from his prefect rounds. Remus raised an eyebrow, but sat down on his bed to watch the performance.

"_Mr. Moonlight,_" Sirius sung. Remus mentally smacked himself. Were they really going to sing him a song about the moon, the heavenly body which he detested for causing his transformation?

"_You came to me one summer night,_" James sang.

"_And from your bean you made my dream,__"_ Peter sang.

"Actually, guys, the moonlight ruins my dreams," Remus said, sighing. The world would have so many possibilities, if it weren't for his 'furry little problem.'

"_And from the world you sent my girl_," Sirius sang.

"Have you asked Mary out yet, Padfoot?" Remus asked. He knew Sirius hadn't; Lily had complained about Mary's moping earlier that evening.

"No... I will after FMACAA, though," Sirius replied over James's line.

"HEY! Now Moony missed a line!" James said as he finished singing. Sirius shrugged and stuck out his tongue.

"_AND NOW SHE'S MINE... I THINK YOU'RE FINE..._" Peter sung at the top of his lungs so that he would be heard over his bickering friends. James and Sirius stopped fighting so that they could breathe and continue the song.

"_ 'Cos we love you, __Mr. Moonlight,_" all three sang.

"I don't love this Mr. Moonlight," Remus muttered to himself.

"You love FMA, though, Moony. Even if your furry little problem isn't fun, we manage to make it loads of fun, right?" James said. Sirius cleared his throat loudly and sang.

"_Mr. Moonlight, come again please..."_

_"Here I am on my knees," _(James, who actually got down on his knees). "_Begging if you please."_

_"And the night, you don't come my way..."_ Pete sang. Remus was still laughing at James.

"_I'll pray more and more each day,"_ Sirius sang, mimicking prayer.

" '_Cos we love you... Mr. Moonlight," _all of them sung together. _  
_

"Really, I don't love the moonlight," Remus insisted.

"_And the night you don't come my way..."_ James sang.

"I'd be happy," Remus said. He assumed that meant the time of month around the New Moon, which was usually two weeks away from the Full Moon. It was the time of the month when he was happiest.

"_Oh, I'll pray more and more each day," _Pete sung.

"_ 'cos we love you, Mr. Moonlight..." _Sirius sang.

"_Mr. Moonlight," _Peter and James echoed.

"Why do we love the moonlight?"

"Moony, why are you such a downer? We've had some of our best times in the moonlight!" Sirius said.

"Padfoot, you missed your line!" Peter said.

"Oh well. It was supposed to make Moony laugh, and instead he's just grown annoyed."

"Wormy, now _you've _missed your line!" James said.

"I say you give this up as a bad job," Remus said, shaking his head. He loved his friends.

"NO! It was going so well," Sirius said.

"No it really wasn't, Pads," James said.

"I thought it was, Prongs," Peter added.

"It wasn't, Wormy," Remus said.

"Oh."

There was silence for a few minutes, for they had bickered over the end of the song.

"So what are we doing, tomorrow?" Sirius asked.

"What?"

"The FMACAA!"

"We're going to hang out in the Shreaking Shack," James said.

"But we _always_ do that!"

"Too bad."


	9. I Saw Her Standing There

**A/N: So I didn't get my three reviews yet :L However, I didn't want to put off publishing this chapter any longer. This time I think I'm going to hold you, my loyal readers, to three reviews... Or no new chapter! This one might be a bit confusing, for there's banter between James and Lily mixed in with the song, and I don't think it worked as smoothly. However, I love the banter! So please review with what you think!**

The week after the Full Moon, the boys were overrun with homework (true to James's prediction, they were barely keeping up). Sirius was so busy that he hadn't had time to ask Mary out yet. He was planning something spectacular for the coming weekend, however.

* * *

"Can we practice it one more time?" James asked as three of the four Marauders lounged around their dorm. Sirius and James were both sitting at a desk, while Remus was napping on his bed. Peter had gotten a detention from McGonagall for being late to class, yet again. He'd gone to get a book from the dorm before class, and he'd fallen asleep upstairs.

"Naw, I don't want to. I think I'm gonna be good with it now. If we practice it too much, then it won't seem natural," Sirius said, leaning back in his chair.

"Or you're just too lazy," Remus said, though his eyes were still closed.

"No!"

"Moony, I think we should be glad he's actually _doing_ something about liking her, and not just moping around," James said with a smirk.

"What's that supposed to mean, Prongs?" Sirius asked, sitting up straight.

"He means that you're doing more than he's ever done about Lily," Remus said smirking.

"NO! That's not what I mean! MOONY!" James said indignantly.

"Oh, shut it. When you actually care about a bird you _both_ get bloody emotional, careful, and worry about how she feels about you," Remus replied.

"Name one time!" Sirius demanded.

"GUYS! Guess what Minnie McGonagall just told me?" Peter said rushing through the door.

* * *

"So are you going to do it tonight, then, Padfoot?" Peter asked. It was Friday, and the Common Room was crowded. After the attack outside Hogsmeade on Wednesday, Dumbledore had tightened security and moved curfew to 8:30.

"Yeah, in about five minutes. I still can't believe Minnie said yes to our karaoke idea," Sirius said.

The Karaoke Plan was Sirius's idea (although they had made it seem like it came more from James and Remus, whom McGonagall preferred) to boost the morale of the Gryffindors. Ever since term had started, there seemed to be a hanging gloominess, and the Marauders just couldn't stand it.

"Here, Pads, you'll need this," James said, handing him the record player. Sirius took it and grinned.

"I don't know if I want to do this still, Prongs."

"Paddy, you'll be fine. Mary'll love it. I just wish I could say the same for Evans..." James said, looking over at where the two girls stood. Lily still had her school robe on over her skirt, shirt, vest, and tie, but Mary was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. James personally thought Lily made the Hogwarts robes look amazing, but he knew Sirius was starring at how tight Mary's shirt was.

"C'mon, Prongs. I don't need your love life bumming me down before I make a move on mine," Sirius said with a smirk. _He_ did think Mary's shirt was nicely tight.

"How's my love life bumming you?" James asked defensively.

"Because it's so bloody unsuccessful. I don't want mine to be like yours," Sirius said. Remus chuckled a little ways away.

"Padfoot's got a point, Prongs," he said as he walked over. James just glared.

"Alright, I think it's time," Peter said, looking around. Some of the first years had headed off to their dormitories, along with a handful of second and third years.

"For once, I think Wormy's right," James muttered so only Sirius could hear him. Sirius nodded, and hit the play button.

"_One, two, three, four!"_ James sang.

"_She was just seventeen, you know what I mean, and the way she moved was way beyond compare..." _Sirius sang, looking straight at Mary.

"_How could I dance with another... whooh! When I saw you standing there," _Sirius said, looking straight at Mary. Peter and James had made it so there was a clear path linking the two of them.

"Is he for real?" Lily whispered when James was near to her.

"Absolutely, my dear Miss Evans. Absolutely," James replied with a grin.

"But-"

"Just let it go, Evans. He really does like her..."

"_Well she looked at me, and I, I could see; that before too long I'd fall in love with her,"_ Sirius sang.

"_She wouldn't dance with another, Whooh! When he saw her standing there!" _Peter and James sang, while Sirius sung the real lyrics [**A/N **change 'he' where I have it written to 'I'].

"_Well, my heart went 'boom'; as I crossed that room_," Sirius sang, walking along the path the other Marauders had cleared toward Mary. "_And I held her hand in mine!" _At that, Sirius grabbed Mary's hand. He'd planned this musical brake just right.

James, who was still standing next to Lily, smiled at his friend. "They both look happy, don't they?" he asked Lily.

"Yeah, I guess she does, Potter," Lily said. "Though I've warned her and warned her it's a bad idea..."

"How'd you know? You've never given any of us a chance."

"That's not... I've given..." Lily sputtered, but she was saved by Sirius's singing.

"_Whoah we danced through the night, and we held each other tight, and before too long I fell in love with her..." _Sirius sang, having Mary dance around with him.

"He's such a ham," Lily muttered. James looked at her.

"What?"

"He's an attention hog."

"Ah, yes. I can't argue with you there.

"_Now I'll never dance with another... Whooh! Since I saw her stand-ing there."_

"I doubt that," Lily muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" James asked, looking at her.

"Nothing, Potter."

"No, you said that you doubt Sirius really likes Mary."

"Not in those words."

"Well, you implied it, then."

"Maybe."

"He does, Evans. Just as much as I like you."

"Don't turn this to us, James!" Lily whispered. She didn't want to interrupt her friend's happy time. Mary really was happy, practically radiating joy.

_"Well, my heart went "boom";__When I crossed that room; __And I held her hand in mine..."_

"He likes her, Lil," James said softly.

"You called me Lily," Lily said, taken aback.

"You called me James."

_"Whoah, we danced through the night; a__nd we held each other tight; A__nd before too long I fell in love with her; __Now I'll never dance with another (Whooh); __Since I saw her standing there," _Sirius finished. Almost everyone started clapping.

"Sirius," Mary giggled.

"Mary McDonald, will you be my girlfriend?" Sirius asked.

"YES!" Mary shouted. She was so happy. Sirius grinned, and pulled her into a tight hug.

"He's just doing that to feel her chest," Lily muttered, irritated.

"Bitter much?" James asked.

"Well, it's the truth."

"No, it's not. Padfoot actually does like her, Evans."

"So I'm 'Evans' again?"

"Well, I'm a bit upset, so yeah, I guess you are."

"Fine, Potter. But be warned, if Black hurts her, I will attack."

"I believe it, Evans." Sirius and Mary had stopped hugging, and most of the common room had gone back to normal activities. Pete and Remus waved, signaling they were heading up to bed. James waved back, knowing both were still tired from the Full Moon. James quietly watched the noise and bustle of the common room, while Lily disappeared into the crowd. At least she had talked to him.

"Potter?" Lily asked about ten minutes later.

"Yeah, Lil?"

"I thought I was 'Evans'?"

"I'm not mad at you anymore."

"Oh."

"What do you need, Lily?"

"Sirius wanted to know if he could have the map."

"And you know this how?"

"He told me when I was trying to get Mary to come to bed."

"They wanna go off somewhere," James said matter-of-factly.

"Probably. I don't want to think about it."

"I'm not going to get the map for him. It's too early in the relationship."

"Really?"

"Maybe not for Pads; I like to do things slow."

"Have you kissed a girl?" Lily asked a few minutes later, after pondering what he said.

"Yeah, but I've never gone any further. I'm saving myself."

"For me?" Lily asked, though she didn't want to know the answer. James shrugged.

"I dunno. For my wife. It could be you, but since most of the time you hate me..."

"Wow, James. I'm surprised."

"I'm not some Casanova," James said, disgusted. What did she think he was? A player? He only had eyes for her, ever since starting this bloody school. Sure, he'd flirt his heart out, but when it came down to how he actually felt...

"You're right. Maybe I am a bit harsh..."

"It's more than a bit, but the first step to solving your problems is to realize that they are there," James said with a grin. "Night, Lily."

"Night James," Lily said, and they parted and headed off to their respective dormitories.

* * *

"Wow, Prongs," Sirius said a few hours later.

"What, Padfoot?" James asked, half asleep.

"Mary's great. Honestly. She might be the one."

"I doubt it. You say that about every girl."

"PRONGS!"

"It's true, Padfoot," Remus muttered.

"MOONY!"

"They're right, Sirius," Peter said.

"WORMY!"

"You say that about anyone and everyone, Pads. Now I'm going to bed," Remus said, and he rolled over.

Sirius mumbled under his breath.

"What did she do so amazingly you won't shut up?" James asked after a few minutes of noise coming from his bed.

"It's too private. You wouldn't want to know."


	10. Come Together

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! Thanks to Moony, who's the only one to review the previous chapter... (hem, hem.) Okay, so this is based off what happened (sort of) in the last chapter. Here you go!**

The boys were not going to let the idea of a Karaoke night go away. Sirius might be happily snogging Mary, but the rest of the Marauders had plenty of time for planning. McGonagall had come to check on the progress of the planning several times before the set date, October 8. She reviewed the music choice list, the length of the event, and were it was going to be held. At first, the boys wanted it to be huge and in the Great Hall; McGonagall turned that down and suggested doing it in the common room first. As the date approached, the James kept pulling Sirius away from Mary, so that they could practice their song.

* * *

"One, two, three, four!" James counted before starting the music. It was Thursday, October 7, and they were practicing for the last time. Peter pressed play.

"Here come old flat top," Sirius sang. "He come gro-o-o-oving up slowly."

"He got joo-joo eyeball," James sang. "He one holy-roller."

"He got hair... down... to his knees..." all four sang. Remus had agreed to this, even if he didn't love singing.

* * *

"Alright, Gryffindor Lions! Are you ready for some singing?" Sirius said as he, James, Remus, and Peter walked into the Common Room, which looked transformed with a stage and pit for people to stand and watch.

Everyone turned to look at them. "What are you lot talking about?" Lily asked.

"We're having a Karaoke Night!" Peter said, practically jumping out of excitement.

"No way! There was no notice of this! Professor McGonagall -" Lily said, starting to rant.

"Already knows and approves, Lily-Flower," Sirius said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, Evans, and have some fun."

"I have _loads_ of fun doing my own thing, Black!" Lily said, getting defensive.

"Sure you do."

"Uh, I-I-I" Lily sputtered.

"That's what I thought."

"Sirius, leave Lily alone," James said.

"Why, Prongs?"

"I don't need you to defend me, Potter!" Lily said, frustrated.

"I don't care, Evans. I'm going to do it either way."

"But-"

"Now hush while we go sing," Sirius said, yanking James away from further conversation. James looked back at Lily, watching the way the firelight from the fireplace danced in her eyes.

"Ready?" Remus mouthed, standing over by the record player and screen that had been enchanted to write out the lyrics. Sirius nodded.

_"One, two, three, four!_" James said into the mic, and Remus started the music. The first beats of the song rang to.

_"Here come old flat top; he come gro-oving up slowly,_" Sirius sang.

"_He got joo-joo eyeball; he one holy-roller,_" James sang.

_"He got hair... down.. to his knees,_" Peter and Remus sang with James and Sirius. "_Got to be a joker he just do what he please._" They paused for the break in between lines and looked out into the room. People were smiling, and a few were dancing around.

"_He wear no shoeshine, he got toe-jam football,_" Remus sang alone.

"_He got monkey finger; he shoot coca-cola,_" Sirius sang.

_"He say 'I know you, you know me.._." James sang.

_"One thing I can tell you is you got to be free,"_ all four sang. _"Come together... Right now... Over me!"_ Sirius and James danced around a bit during the musical break, but were back at the mics for the next verse.

_"He bag production, he got walrus gumboot,"_ Peter sang.

"_He got O-no sideboard; he one spinal cracker,_" Sirius sang.

"_He got feet... down.. below.. his knees.."_ James and Remus sang. "Hold on to his armchair you can't feel his disease..."

"_Come together... Right now... Over me_!" they all sang, and danced around. Lily was watching the group perform with a huge smile on her face. They might be gits, but they were funny gits.

"_Right!_" Sirius said, and they all danced around. Lily made her way from Mary over to the side of the stage.

"Psst! James!" she said..

"Lily?" James whispered in surprise.

"You guys actually can sing," Lily said, blushing. She hadn't expected him to respond.

"And you felt the need to tell me in the middle of the song?"

"Erm, yes, Potter?" Lily said unsure. There was a slight pause before James said anything.

"Lily?"

"Yeah?"

"It's okay for you to say my first name," James said cracking a smile.

"I know, Potter... I mean, James..." Lily said, clearly blushing.

"Oy Prongs! You're up!" Sirius yelled from the other side of the stage.

"Right," James said, walking away from the side and Lily. "_He roller coaster; he got ear-ly warning,_"

"_He got muddy water; he one mojo filter,_" Sirius sang. He winked at James, showing that someone noticed Lily.

"_He say one and one and one is three_," Remus sang.

"_Got to be good lookin' 'cause he's so hard to see,_" James and Sirius sang.

"_Come together... Right now... Over me!" _They all sang.

"SING ALONG!" James yelled as they finished the song. As 'come together..yeah!' faded out, applause erupted from the 'pit' of the common room. The four boys bowed.

"Thank you, thank you!" James said. "Now, who wants to go next? Tell Remus your song, and get on up here!" James, Sirius, and Peter jumped off the stage, as a few people rushed over to sign up to sing.

Lily found James again, and this time planned out what to say. "Potter? That was really, really good," Lily said.

James smiled at Lily. "Thanks -"

"Thanks, Evans!" Sirius said, jumping into the conversation.

"I wasn't talking to _you_, Black," Lily said.

"You said the performance was really good," Sirius pointed out. "And I was part of said performance. So you were kinda talking to me," Sirius said.

"No, I was saying _James's_ performance was good."

"Oh, he's James now, is he?"

"Padfoot, shut it. Go snog your girl toy," James said. He thought Lily was about to have a real conversation with him, and Sirius had to come ruin it.

"Excuse me!" Mary said. She'd been clinging to Sirius's arm, though James hadn't noticed.

"Mar, he has a point," Lily said. "In the two weeks that you've dated, you've become a different person."

"No I haven't!" Mary said.

"It doesn't matter," Sirius said, waving his hand as to wipe it away.

"You shouldn't change yourself for a guy," Lily muttered.

"I haven't!" Mary whined.

"C'mon, Mary," Sirius said. "Let's go somewhere where we'll be appreciated." They walked away.

"Good riddance," Lily mumbled.

"Lil?"

"Yes?" she huffed.

"Are you okay?" James asked. Lily sighed.

"I dunno. Severus sent me a note the other day..."

"He did WHAT?" James asked, pulling Lily further away from the crowd so he could hear her.

"It wasn't anything bad..."

"Lily."

"It wasn't. He just said he was sorry for everything, and that he wanted to be friends."

"Lily."

"What, Potter?" Lily said, getting frustrated. What was with him?

"He's still trying to be a Death Eater?"

"I dunno."

"Lily, he's not a good person!" James said, frustrated with her. How could she go back to Snape?

"How would you know? You don't know his story! You don't know _anything_ about him, and yet you judge him."

"Lily, I've seen some of the things he does when you're not around. I see who he hangs out with and how he talks. I don't know him like you do, I admit that. I judged him early on. But he's given no reason for me to rethink my opinions. So yeah, I've judged him."

"I can't believe I thought I could talk to you!" Lily said, storming off.

James stood there, shocked. Things had been going so well... That was it. He was going to sing the song _he'd_ been practicing. He walked up and talked to Remus.

"I want to sing _the_ song," he whispered.

"Alright, mate. You can go next..." Remus said, writing something down. James stood there until the person singing finished, and he politely clapped. He walked up to the stage, grabbed the mic, and said...

**A/N: hahaha cliffhanger! And I'm demanding three reviews before I update... And I'm not telling you the song. So HA! I didn't think I'd get this chapter to be this long, and then poof! I think it was linking the cliffhanger to the song part that did it. So review XD**


	11. Love Me Do

... James climbed up onto the stage.

"Hello, everyone. How's it going?" James was searching the crowed for Lily. "Erm, I think everyone's been rocking this stage," James said with a grin. "I'm going to sing a song now, and I just wanted to say it's dedicated to Miss Lily Evans. So, er, yeah. Play it, Moony!" Remus nodded and started the music.

"_Love love me do!"_ James sang. Lily blushed. Of course she couldn't get away without James trying to seduce her with his singing.

"_You know I love you!"_

Sirius made his way over to Lily. "He's such a git."

"No kidding," Lily grumbled.

"_I'll always be true!"_

"True to what?" Sirius asked. Lily shook her head.

"True to **her**, Siri," Mary said, punching him playfully in the arm.

_"So ple-e-e-ease... Love me do," _James said, walking to the edge of the stage.

"Oh," Sirius said. "So LIly, are you going to love him do?"

"No way in hell."

"Poor Prongsie," Peter said, approaching the group.

"_Love love me do! You know I love you!"__  
_

"Don't we all," Lily muttered.

"Is that a bad thing?" Mary asked.

"It wouldn't be if it was anyone but James bloody Potter."

"_I'll always be true! So ple-e-e-ease... Love me do!" _

_"_Why do you hate Prongs so much?" Sirius asked.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"_Someone to love; somebody new;"_

"He's not a git all the time; he's actually really respectable," Sirius pointed out.

"He's a prat; he judged Sev before even meeting him, really," Lily said, turning up her nose.

"_Someone to love... SOMEONE LIKE YOU!" _James pointed at Lily. "Love you Evans!" he said quickly.

"Shut it, Potter!" Lily said, a red tinge crawling across her face. Sirius got that gleam in his eye.

"_Love love me do! I'll always be true! So ple-e-e-ease... Love me do!" _

"You like Prongs, don't you?" Sirius asked. Lily had almost looked like she was enjoying what was going on for a split second.

"No! I do not like Potter, Black!" Lily said, irritated.

"You're just too scared to admit it!" Sirius said, a victorious grin on his face. "I _knew_ it!"

"I. Do. Not. Like. That. Pompous. Prat. You. Call. A. Best. Mate. Black!" Lily said sharply. Honestly, where was he getting _that_ idea?

"You don't think he's the pompous prat, either. That's my title," Sirius said, sticking out his chest. Mary laughed.

"You don't know what I think, Black!" Lily spat.

"Lily, you _were _being civil with him less than twenty minutes ago..." Peter pointed out.

"My mistake," Lily said, clenching her teeth. Damn, had _everyone_ noticed that?

"_Whoa, love me do...__Yeah, love me do...__Whoa, oh, love me do" _James finished, then bowed. "So, how was that?" he asked, grinning. "Miss Evans?"

Lily blushed. "Erm good enough, I guess. But you might need to improve your pitch a bit, Potter," she said, trying to find some way to insult him. She could be nice enough to him when no one was watching; however, she still wasn't _that_ fond of him...

James brought the microphone to his heart. "Of course I shall work on it for you, my dear lady!"

"No, that's okay, Potter. I really don't want to listen to another song."

"GET DOWN, PRONGS, YOU PRAT!" Sirius called. James looked at him. Sirius winked.

"Alright, Remus? Who's next?" James asked, placing the mic back in its stand. Remus helped the next person get set up while James walked over to Lily and his other friends.

"Mate, don't do _anything_ like that _ever_ again!" Sirius said, pulling him into a (very manly) hug.

"Why not? Did it bother you, Evans?" James asked, stepping away from Sirius.

"Um, yeah. Did you really think I wanted you to **sing** to me?" Lily said, shaking her head. He had such a big head.

"Well, I didn't think you'd mind. Mum said that girls like it when a guy serenades her," James said with a shrug.

"Not me," Lily replied.

"You were upset about... And I figured if nothing else it'd make you laugh."

"Why would you think that?"

"It worked before," James said, walking away. Lily stared at his retreating back, hypnotised for a second. What had just happened? She turned to Sirius who was still standing there with Mary, Peter having walked off with James.

"What?" she asked.

"He knows you better than you know you," Sirius said, and he and Mary left, too. Suddenly Lily felt very lonely.

**A/N: There it was! The next chapter in this fantastic story! Hope you liked it, and I hope I was successful in keeping Lily and James apart. That was hard... Anyway, please review! I need a suggestion for the next song, having used all my latest ideas. Whomever suggests the one I use will get a special shout out (yay!) Lol Can you tell I'm sort of hyper? XD **


	12. A Hard Day's Night

**A/N: Hello, people! Here's the next chapter! Thanks for all the reviews.. I'm up to twenty-five for the whole story! (yay!) That's at least two per chapter! Anyway, I read Mairi Le Fay's one story, and it mentioned this song... And I was inspired. So here you are!**

The Karaoke night went well; many people told McGonagall they wanted to do one again. McGonagall told the boys that the Saturday before Halloween was a good a time as any. They tirelessly searched for an interesting song to start the night off with.

* * *

A week before they were supposed to have the karaoke night, they still had not chosen a song.

"How about 'Here Comes the Sun'?" Peter suggested.

"Naw, that's too happy," James said moodily. Lily had called him a prat earlier when he had attempted to help her after she stepped on the trick stair.

"Stop moping because Evans is mad at you, Prongs," Sirius said, slapping him on the back. "Honestly, you act like a teenaged girl sometimes!"

"Back in the U.S.S.R.?" Remus asked.

"No. Some people are still afraid of the 'dirty rotten Commies'." Sirius said.

"Why do you say that?" Remus asked. "That's Muggle stuff."

"Mum sent me a letter telling me _all_ about the latest Muggle trends, and why some of our neighbors feel that it's the Communists causing the stuff that You-Know-Who's doing," James explained.

"Oh."

"Glass Onion?" Sirius said after a few minutes of silence.

"Too weird," Remus said. "You and James can sing that by yourselves at a later date." Silence arose yet again.

"A Hard Day's Night," James said, suddenly.

"It doesn't make you sad about Evans?" Sirius teased.

"It does."

"And you don't care?" Remus asked.

" '_Cause when I get home to you I find the things that you do will make me feel alright!"_ James sung to prove his point._  
_

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Because when I'm with you, the way you kiss me and more makes everything worth it," James translated.

"Let's do it!" Peter said.

* * *

"Hello, everyone!" Sirius said as the boys walked into the Common Room on the 30 of October. "Ready for another night of musical fun?" The crowd cheered.

"We're going to start off again," James explained, "which we have every right to do, being that it was our lovely idea!"

"So are you ready, kids?" Remus asked. The line had been Sirius's idea.

"YES!" echoed from every corner of the room.

"_It's been a hard day's night," _all four boys sang, jumping onto the stage. "_And I've been working like a do-o-og."_

Lily walked into the common room, and then promptly left. How could she forget they were having another prat show?

"_It's been a hard day's night; I should be sleeping like a lo-o-og."_

"_But when I get home to you, I find the things that you do..." _James sang perfectly.

Mary had seen Lily walk in and out. She ran to the portrait hole and pushed it open to find Lily sitting on the floor, reading.

"_Will make me feel alright!" _Sirius sang, searching the crowed room for Mary.

"_You know I work all day, to get you money, to buy you things," _James sang.

"_And it's worth it just to hear you say," _sang Sirius, "_that you're gonna give me... everything."_

_"So why on earth should I moan, cause when I get you alone," _sang both Sirius and James. Mary had yanked Lily back into the common room, causing James to grin. "_You know I feel okay!"_

_"When I'm home... Everything seems to be ri-ight.. When I'm home, feeling you holding me tight, tight, yeah!" _Peter and Remus sang.

"Why are you forcing me to be here?" Lily whispered to Mary.

"Because you like James, you just don't want to admit it!" whispered Mary back.

"_It's been a hard day's night, and I've been working like a do-o-og.." _James sang.

"_It's been a hard day's night; I should be sleeping like a lo-o-og."_ Sirius sang, smiling at his girlfriend.

"LOVE YOU SIRIUS!" Mary yelled, smirking at Lily. Sirius grinned back.

"_But when I get home to you, I find the things that you do..." _Remus sang with Sirius and James. "_Will make me feel alright... YEAH!" _Sirius and James played air guitar and danced around, and Lily couldn't help but laugh.

"See? You like it," Mary said.

"They're... such... prats!" Lily said through her laughter.

"_So why on earth should I moan, cuz when I get you alone, you know I feel okay!" _they sang. James locked eyes with Lily.

"_When I'm home everything seems to be right/ When I'm home feeling you holding me tight, tight, yeah_!" Remus and Sirius sang.

"_It's been a hard day's night, and I'd been working like a dog / It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log / But when I get home to you I find the things that you do / Will make me feel alright!"_ The boys sang.

Lily clapped with Mary, who was cheering at the top of her lungs. As the boys bowed, Mary pulled Lily to the edge of the stage.

"That was _great_, Sirius!" Mary said, helping him down. He flashed all of his teeth in a grin.

"Thanks, Mar," he replied, pulling Mary away from Lily. Remus shook his head and rolled his eyes at the couple, moving to his post as director of the karaoke machine. Peter followed Remus, and James jumped in front of Lily.

"Hey babe," James smiled.

"Potter," Lily said, trying to get away from him nicely.

"No need to be so cold, Evans."

"I think I have plenty reasons, Potter."

"Really?" James asked, bemused. "What are they?"

"Erm, I don't have a list waiting at the top of my head..." Lily said, blushing ever so slightly.

"That's what I thought." Lily was quiet for a few seconds planning her next move.

"Well, your overlarge ego is one reason. You don't need it to grow," she said.

"If you'd pay attention, I think you'd see that it's shrunk considerable the past couple of months," James mused.

"And you beat on Sev no matter what..." Lily continued, ignoring James.

"I thought you weren't friends anymore?" James asked, confused.

"We're... we're not..." Lily said, saddened. "But that doesn't mean I still don't have some feelings for him! He was my best mate for years. Things like that just don't disappear overnight."

"Has he sent you any letters lately?" James asked, concerned. Severus was cruel, and growing more so as the days passed.

"Y-yes... Not that it's any of your business, Potter."

"About what?"

"Actually, he thinks he's finally figured out what's wrong with Remus..."

"Nothing's _wrong_ with Moony..." James said.

"Sure, James," Lily said, starting to walk away.

**A/N: I might not be as quick to update; the school year is winding down, which means I'm super-busy at the mo. Please review, because if I get a bunch of reviews I might get inspired to update quicker... XD**


	13. We Can Work It Out

**A/N: Sorry for the wait! I've been super busy, and I had a major case of writer's block. I heard this song on the radio twice in a row, and it hit me! I hope you enjoy reading it, because I think it was really fun to write XD It's also super long... Just a warning! It's like 1,000 words before the song even starts... I hope to have another chapter up later this week!**

November of Sixth Year held the biggest fight Sirius and James had ever gotten into. The two boys, like brothers, often got into little tiffs, but Remus could not remember a time when they were in this big of an argument. It all started November 13...

* * *

"So, Prongs," Sirius said, walking into the dormitory.

"Why, lover boy! It's been such a long time since I've seen you!" James said, looking up at his friend. Sirius looked back at James moodily.

"He has a point, Sirius. You've become as hard to find as a matching pair of socks," Remus said, not looking up from his homework.

"I'm so sorry that I'm the only one of us that's managed to find a girlfriend!" Sirius said indignantly, walking over to the bed.

"I could have one if I wanted one," James muttered.

"You mean Lily actually said she'd go out with you?" Sirius said surprised.

"No but I've turned down a few other girls lately because I'm waiting for my Lily-flower to come 'round," James explained.

"Sure there are," Remus muttered.

"Anyway," Sirius said, trying to regain control of the conversation (although he never really _did_ have control of it...), "I've had an idea about you getting a certain Miss Evans, Prongs."

"Really?" James asked, perking up.

"Yes. I was talking to Mary -"

"Don't play with him, Sirius. I heard you talking, and I don't think it's a good idea," Peter said, walking into the room.

"What do you mean? I think it's a brilliant plan," Mary said, following Pete. She sat down on Sirius's bed (easily found because of the mess), and looked up at the boys.

"Basically, you need to show her how you're better than Snape," Sirius said, sneering their enemy's name.

"She's still pining over him, at least a little..." Mary added.

"And if you get him out-of-the-way..." Sirius continued.

"I don't want to play with Lily," James said firmly after a few moments of thought. "And she said that you said something about a trick for him?"

"Well, that's part of it..." Sirius admitted.

"He wants to trick Snivellus into going and meeting were-Moony," Peter said, instead of letting Sirius beat around the bush.

"Absolutely not!" Remus said. "Black, you cannot risk me getting... Wait, did you tell Mary?"

"No, I'm just not as stupid as everyone thinks," Mary said indignantly.

"How long..." Remus asked.

"Well, Lily and I figured that Snape was right sometime last year... You were always scheduled around the full moon for prefect duties, and, like I said, Snape always knew something was up..." Mary said.

"Oh," Remus said, retracting into his shell.

"Anyway," Sirius said, trying to get back to his idea.

"It's stupid," James said. "I'm not going to help."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because it's stupid, Pads," James said, running his hand through his hair. "Snivellus could get hurt, and then where would we be? If Lily were to find out that I'd had a part in it, I'd be dead. She'd hate me because, as you said earlier, she still has some feelings for that slimy git!"

"No she wouldn't," Sirius said.

"You don't know Evans, Padfoot. Not like I do," James said, getting up as if to leave.

"Where you going?" Remus asked.

"To the common room, where people are actually _sane_," James said. "You should come join me."

"Prongs, my idea is brilliant, even Mary thinks so!" Sirius argued.

"It's dumb, and bound to blow up in your face!" James said. "Ergh! Why can't you just see that?"

"Because it's not!"

"I'm not going to help you," James muttered.

"It's great, and maybe I won't want your help!"

"FINE!"

"FINE!"

James stormed out of dorm, and he and Sirius hadn't spoken to him since.

* * *

"James, it's been a week; don't you think you're being a bit ridiculous?" Remus asked.

"He was asking me to put Snivellus's life in danger!" James said indignantly.

"So? Last I checked you didn't even remotely _like_ Snape. You've been bullying him since first year..."

"Lily still likes him a little... I don't want to anger her by hurting him. Also, I don't want to get in trouble for something like that. Despite what some people might think, I actually have a line that I won't cross."

"Of course it's because of _her_," Sirius sneered as he breezed through the common room.

* * *

"Sirius, two weeks because he didn't like some plot? This is getting outrageous!" Remus told Sirius one night. Mary wasn't around because she was getting tutored, and James was helping Peter with Transfiguration in the library.

"It's not only that," Sirius said. "He doesn't like that I have a girlfriend and he doesn't. He claims I'm 'changing' and shit. I think he's threatened, and feels like she's taking his place."

"Still..."

"I've always supported him with Evans. He should support me."

"Have you talked about it?"

"No."

"Maybe you should?"

"I'm over the prank, and he's not changing when it comes to Mary. We can't talk about it," Sirius said.

"We could if you'd listen," James said moodily, entering the room with Peter.

* * *

"Potter? A word?" Lily said the next week when they were both in the library. Sirius and Mary had taken over the common room, so James decided to leave the common room and come here.

"What do you want, Evans," James asked tiredly.

"I know you miss him, and Mar says he misses you, James."

"Did Moony put you up to this?"

"No. Mary told me what happened, and while I'm honored that you fought because of me, I really think you should get over it," Lily said. This was not entirely true, however. Lily, upon seeing him, felt it was a good time to assist Remus with the get-my-friends-back-together mission he was on.

"Oh," James said quietly, turning away from her.

"James?" Lily asked after a few moments.

"Yeah, Lily?"

"It's nice that you didn't want to kill Sev. I mean, he's become a bit of a jerk, and I _know_ that you are jealous because I liked him for a while... You two don't have a good relationship at all, and you still stood up for him."

"Miracles do happen, Lil. Besides, if you found out I had something to do with his downfall, you'd never forgive me."

"I guess you're right... It's time to get over it, though."

"And I guess _you're_ right, too. Don't worry about us. We'll kiss and make up soon."

* * *

"What about that song... 'We Can Work It Out'?" Peter suggested. James was trying to come up with a way to make up with Sirius a few days later. They were sitting in the common room with a blank piece of parchment, trying to make a list of ideas.

"Isn't it about working through problems in a relationship?" James asked.

"In a way, you and Sirius _do_ have a relationship..." Remus pointed out.

"Not _that_ kind of relationship..." James said.

"Sometimes I would beg to differ, there, Potter," Lily said, walking to the boys. She felt bad. It was partly _her_ fault there were fighting...

"So you won't go out with me because you're afraid I'm gay?" James asked, looking like he had finally seen the light.

"No, I don't think you're gay, Potter."

"So why won't you date me then?"

"Because I don't want to," Lily said. "Now do you want my help or not?"

"Stay!" James said, scooting closer to Remus so the only place for Lily to sit was next to him.

"Okay, Potter," Lily said, smiling slightly as she sat next to him.

"So what do you think about him singing, Lily?" Remus asked.

"I think it's silly, but I know Sirius will love it. Mary said that she thinks he's mad because you don't like Mary, and you singing would be a nice gesture. And it'd increase is already inflated ego, which you know he loves... All in all it's a good idea."

"Awesome. So when and how should I do it?" James asked, only half paying attention. Right now all he could think about was how close Lily was to him... and the fact that her knee was almost touching his... and she seemed fine with that.

"I think you should do it in the common room. Go big or go home, as they always say," Peter added. It _had _been his idea...

"Yeah..." James mused.

"It'd be mighty funny for us, too," Remus mouthed behind James's head to Lily. She bit her lip to hold in her laughter.

"Okay. How's tonight sound?" James asked.

"I'll talk to Mary, and we'll make sure he's here then!" Lily said, standing up.

"Do you have to leave me?" James murmured.

"Yes, James," Lily said, smirking. "I'll see you later, though, alright?"

* * *

"_Try to see it my way. Do I have to keep on talking 'til I can't go on?"_ James sang. It was eight o'clock that night, and the common room was packed. Everyone turned to James, including Sirius, as he walked from the staircase up to the boys' dorms over to the centre of the room.

"What the hell? I thought you said he was studying with Evans in the library tonight?" Sirius hissed. Mary looked at him and shrugged.

"That's what she told me..." Mary said.

"_While you see it your way.. Run the risk of knowing that our love may soon be gone,"_ James continued.

"I don't love you, Potter!" Sirius yelled.

"Yes, you do," Remus said, standing behind Sirius.

"_We can work it out... We can work it out," _James sang, trying to ignore what Sirius was saying.

"I don't love him, Moony," Sirius said.

"He's your brother from another mother, Siri," Mary said. "You love him more than your _real_ brother..."

"_Think of what you're saying... You can get it wrong and still you think that it's alright_," James sang. As he was singing, he realized that maybe this wasn't the best song to sing. He was saying he was right and Sirius was wrong... Oh, well, he was just trying to get Padfoot's attention... He didn't mean _all_ the lyrics.

"He's not saying anything that's not true..." Mary said tentatively. Sirius just sat moodily.

"_Think of what I'm saying - __We can work it out and get it straight, or say good night,"_ James sang. This really was a love song.. Oh well.

"I think saying 'good night' is the best option for us," Sirius said.

"Sirius, think. He's your bloody best friend!" Remus said, getting annoyed. It wasn't James that was on a bloody horse; that would be Sirius.

"_We can work it out... We can work it out_," James sang. _We **need** to work it out_, James thought. He missed Sirius, though he'd never admit it.

"I really don't think we can, Potter," Sirius said. His resolve was breaking, however, with each line that James sang.

"_Life is very short, and there's no ti-i-ime,"_ Peter sang. Remus was supposed to join in as well, but he didn't.

"Get off your bloody high horse, Sirius," Lily said as she breezed past him. She had told James she would be here, and here she was.

"_For fussing and fighting, my friend,_" Peter continued.

"_I have always thought that it's a cri-i-ime,_" James sang. "_So I will ask you once again..."_

"I don't want to see it your way, Prongs," Sirius whispered.

"_Try to see it my way... __Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong... __While you see it your way... __There's a chance that we may fall apart before too long .__We can work it out... __We can work it out,_" James belted out. This was the verse he'd meant the most.

"I have no bloody idea who's right anymore..." Sirius muttered.

As James finished the song, Sirius thought of all the years they had spent together, and how much they depended on each other. He thought about the time in first year when he had gotten a howler, and James had run with it to the loo and thrown in the toilet. And in second year how they solved the mystery that was Remus Lupin and the fluffy little problem. And how in third year James had comforted him when he had contracted the flu from running around Muggle London during the christmas holiday. The list of things James had done for him was extensive; when you added in the things _he'd_ done for _James_, well, that list was as long as infinity.

"_We can work it out,"_ James finished. "What do you say, Pad? Can we talk about it? I miss my best mate."

"I miss you do, Prongsie," Sirius said, pulling him in for a (manly) hug. The common room burst with cheers and clapping - everyone was tired of the two battling it out.

* * *

**A/N: This ****_really_****was a long one! Hope you all loved it! Please review! It only takes a second to write one or two words in the little box down there!**


	14. Help!

**A/N: Hey, look at that! It's been almost exactly one week since the last update! Sorry, it's a bit later than I wanted... I had most of it written a few days ago, but I had final exams... And then I got my laptop taken away... Anyways, this chapter is dedicated to guineapiggie, who asked for this song! **

* * *

"I can't believe Minnie's giving us all of this homework!" Sirius said as they left Transfiguration on the next to last day before winter holidays.

"We _are_ O.W.L. students now," Remus pointed out, shifting his canvas bag from his left shoulder to his right.

"But it's almost the holidays!" Sirius moaned. "It's not right!"

"Life's not right, Paddy. I mean, if it was, Lily'd just say yes to me already," James said, catching up to his friends. He had been speaking with McGonagall, who'd wanted his help with a small tutoring group for struggling students.

"Yes, that's exactly what's holding her back, Prongs," Remus said, shaking his head. "Honestly..."

"What'd Minnie want, Prongs?" Sirius asked. They were still on shaky terms, and he figured an argument about Lily should be avoided at all costs.

"She wanted me to tutor a few of the students in her fifth year class that need help. I said I would... Maybe Lily'll find out, and think better of me for it," James said with a shrug. "It also gives me something to do..."

"Not like we don't already have Quidditch, captain," Sirius muttered.

"Well, I meant something to better society," James said.

"Because helping poor fifth years with Transfiguration _definitely_ betters society," Remus said, rolling his eyes.

"It'll help them later! They're our future!" James protested.

"Whatever," Sirius said as they walked into the common rooms to drop off their bags.

* * *

"So we're all staying this year?" James asked at dinner that night.

"No, how many times do I have to tell you that my parents actually like me and want me to be home for the holidays?" Remus said as he cut his (rare) steak.

"That's no fun, Moony!" Sirius said, pouring something from a flask into his goblet.

"Sirius, what the hell did you add to your cup?" Remus asked, suddenly worried.

"Just a little firewhiskey," Sirius said with a lopsided smirk.

"Did you just say you added firewhiskey to your drink?" Lily said, flouncing down on the bench next James.

"Er..." Sirius said. He didn't want to share the truth with innocent Evans.

"Yes, he did," Remus said. "Feel free to scold as you see fit."

"It's not actually firewhiskey!" James said. "It's just butterbeer."

"And how do you know, Potter?" Lily said, turning to him.

"Er..."

"We drank all of what we got last time," Sirius said. "It really is just butterbeer... I can share if you want me to prove it..." He smirked.

"No thanks," Lily said, wrinkling her nose.

"I'll try," Mary said, sitting next to Sirius. She took the goblet and drank a swig.

"And?" Lily asked after a few seconds.

"Just butterbeer," Mary confirmed.

"Now that that crisis has been averted..." James said, trying to get Lily's attention back on himself.

"Yes, Potter?" Lily asked, a bemused look on her face.

"Are you going to be staying for the holidays?" James asked.

"Actually, I am. Mum and Dad are spending the entire break with Petunia, who decided that if I attended I would 'ruin the entire thing.' So Mum sent me a letter last week asking if I minded staying here..." Lily said, biting back both tears and a rant.

"Good news! You, Padfoot, and me are the only students in our year staying!" James said, way to excited.

"What?!" Lily asked, her face dropping. She looked at Mary, who had told her just last week that she was going to stay over break.

"I'm sorry, Lil, but last minute Mum owled... They need me," Mary said, looking like a child who was getting scolded.

"Remus?" Lily asked. He was her last hope.

"With my, er..." Remus started.

"With his time of the month, his parents always love seeing him during the holidays," Sirius said, taking over. Peter chuckled into his porridge.

"Sirius!" Remus whined. "You make it sound like I'm a girl!"

"Whatever do you mean, Remmie?" Mary asked. Remus blushed.

"Er, you know... Like I have..." Remus stuttered.

"A period?" Lily asked, the corners of her mouth twitching.

"A menstrual cycle?" James asked, smirking.

"Now, now, Moony... I think we all know that you're a little boy, not a little girl," Sirius said. Lily couldn't hold it in any longer. She burst out in fits of giggles, which triggered James, which triggered Peter... Soon, the entire table was full of contagious laughter.

* * *

"Thank Merlin Sluggy didn't give us any homework," James said as he flopped onto the couch after his last class the day before break.

"I still have the homework from Minnie," Sirius grumbled.

"Really? I was done with it in about five minutes," James said, running his hand through his hair.

"Yeah, well sadly, we can't all be transfiguration whizzes like you," Sirius muttered.

"Thanks for the complement."

"At least it's not a detention. Honestly, you thought it'd be a good idea to charm the suits of armor to wank?" Remus said, entering the common room with his arms laden with books.

"What's all that?" Sirius asked, staring at the pile.

"I need to bring some resources home with me so that I can get everything ready. The next full moon is right when we get back from break, so I got all the work I'm likely to miss," Remus said. He walked passed his friends and headed up to the dorm.

"So Paddy..." James said, a small smirk forming.

"Yes, my dear Mr. Prongs?" Sirius said, looking lazily at the fireplace.

"Do you think we could sneak into Hogsmeade and get some firewhiskey or mead to celebrate the holiday?" James asked.

"Of course, Mr. Prongs!" Sirius said, looking at his friend. "Although, I daresay that Miss Evans might tell on us if she found out..."

"If I found out about what, Black?" Lily said, walking into the common room.

"James and I want to get wasted this holiday season," Sirius said plainly. He hoped she'd do the whole if-you-can't-beat-'em-join-'em thing, and let them do it.

"Wasted on what, exactly?" Lily asked, arching her eyebrow.

"Firewhiskey," James supplied.

"How do two underage wizards get firewhiskey?" Lily asked.

"Oh, my dear Lily-flower..." Sirius said, shaking his head.

"Sirius _is_ seventeen now..." James said.

"Even then, we have friends..." Sirius said mysteriously.

"Do you want to get drunk out of your mind with us?" James asked.

Lily looked like she was actually considering it for a moment... "Maybe.. I need to think about it." Sirius and James looked shocked.

"No way. I don't believe 'Perfect Prefect Evans' is going to break the rules!" Sirius said, while James just looked at her gaping.

"Well, just wait and see," Lily said, and she left the room. Sirius, for once, was at a loss for words.

* * *

Christmas day had come, and the castle was beautiful, as always. There were giant ice statues in the Entrance Hall, and the normal 12 trees in the Great Hall. Fairies twinkled in the hallways, and coats of armor (besides the one that Sirius had yet again charmed to wank) sang Christmas carols.

Lily was trying to ignore James and Sirius as much as possible, and thus was spending most of her time in the library. She had decided, however, that she liked the idea of getting hopelessly drunk with the boys, especially after getting the latest letter from Petunia. Apparently, Lily's 'abnormality' had been the cause of all their childhood troubles, and Petunia wanted to make sure that if and when Lily married she kept her 'spawn' as far away from Petunia's as possible. This all had made Lily crazy-mad, but she was trying not to let Petunia get to her anymore.

* * *

"Dinner was great, don't you think?" Lily said, sitting on the couch across from Sirius and James.

"Yep," James said, looking around all the other students in the common room. There were not too many, but there were enough that James thought they shouldn't drink out in the open...

"So when are we gonna start..." Lily asked, looking around the semi-empty room.

"Well, James and I'll go up to our dorm... And then you can come up to 'yell' at us, or whatever you want," Sirius said.

"We're drinking in your dorm!" Lily said, flabbergasted.

"Yeah..." Sirius said.

"I'm not going in there!"

"Then you're not drinking with us. There's too many people here," Sirius said flatly.

"But.. .But...!" Lily said.

"Listen, Lil. We're not going to use you. We're just going to drink a bit..." James said. He really hoped she'd come.

"Fine... I'm just thinking.. What will people say when they see me going up with you?" Lily said, really not having much of a resolve.

"No one'll notice, and if they do, we can just say Remus made you promise to tutor us," James said.

"Oh, all right," Lily said, sighing.

"Why don't we go get started on that homework?" Sirius asked, waggling his eyebrows. James smiled and stood up, and Lily followed in suit.

"I don't think I've ever heard you two so excited about homework!" Lily said laughing as the thundered up the stairs.

* * *

"I'm! So! Drunk!" Lily said, laughing. It had been three hours and they had gone through two bottles of Firewhiskey.

"Yes, you are, Lil!" James said, wrapping his arm around her waist. Surprisingly (or maybe not since she wasn't in her right mind...), she didn't tell him to move it.

"So whadda you do when yous drunk?" Lily asked, slightly slurring her words.

"Well, Peter always falls asleep..." James said, "I moan about not having you and write really cheesy poetry... And Sirius sings."

"Cheesy poems?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ode to My Flower," James said. "When I see her red hair waving in the wind/ It takes all my energy to hold back my grin/ Her eyes are green as an emerald/ How she rejects me leaves me baffled."

"Wow, talk abou' cheesy," Lily said, giggling. "It's sweet, though," she added thoughtfully.

"Yeah, yeah," Sirius said. He brought the bottle to his lips and took a swig.

* * *

"I ready to sing!" Sirius said about half an hour later. Lily giggled.

"What are we going to sing, Siri?" James asked. He was pretending to be more drunk than he actually was, for he wanted to remember this night with Lily... even if nothing happened.

"How 'bout _Help! _by-" Sirius started, but Lily cut him off.

"The Beatles?" Lily said. "They're only one of my most favorite bands.. EVER!"

"Really?" Sirius said, looking bemused.

"Well, _yeah_. My Mum really likes them, and so she was constantly playing them when we were growing up. My favorite song's always been 'Let It Be' even though it's kinda depressing..."

"So how 'bout it then?" Sirius asked, taking another large swig from the new (fourth) bottle.

"Alright!" Lily said, and she reached for the player on James's side-table.

"_HELP! I need somebody!" _Sirius sung.

"_Help! Not just anybody," _Lily sang. James was taken aback by her harmonious voice.

"_Help, I need somebody," _James sang.

"_HELP!" _they all sang.

"_When I was younger, so much younger than to-da-ay..." _Sirius sang.

"_I never needed anybody's help in any way,"_ James continued.

"_But now these days are gone and I'm not so self assured,"_ Sirius sang.

"_Now I've found I've changed my mind and open up the doors..." _James sang, finishing the first verse.

"_Help me if you can, I'm feeling do-o-own..." _Lily sang, taking off with the chorus.

"_And I do appreciate you bein' 'round..." _Sirius said.

"_Help me get my feet back on the ground..." _Lily continued.

"_Won't you please, please help me!" _all three sang.

"_Now.." _James sang backup.

"_Now my life has changed in oh-so-many ways,"_ Sirius sang. "_My independence seems to vanish in the haze."_

_"But every now and then I feel so insecure... I know I need you like I've never needed you before,"_ Lily sang. She looked straight at James, drunkenly hoping that he'd realize she meant that in real life. Well, sometimes she felt that way...

"_I know I need you like I never had before!" _James sang. His smile was broad, and his eyes were kind. _  
_

"_Help me if you can, I'm feeling do-o-own," _Sirius sang, standing up and collapsing onto his four-poster bed.

"_And I do appreciate you being 'round..." _James sang.

"SHIT!" Lily said suddenly, overtop of Sirius's off-key singing.

"What?" James asked, concerned.

"I had rounds tonight!"

"Very badass of you, Lily.." Sirius slurred. "I mean, skipping out on your duties.."

"I've got to go!" Lily said, standing up and making to leave.

"No you don't," James said. Lily turned to look at him.

"And why the hell not?"

"Because you're drunk as fuck, Lily. If someone were too see you..."

"You don't control me, Potter!" Lily said, turning back to the door. Her passionate speech didn't get her too far, however, when she had to cling to Remus's bedpost as to not fall. (Sirius leaned over and turned the record player off.)

James shook his head, but stood and walked over to her. "Maybe I don't most of the time. However, as your friend, it is my job to make sure you don't make a fool of yourself." James wrapped his arm around Lily's waist to steady her.

"But..."

"Lily, I'm not letting you leave this room. You can sleep on Remus's bed; it's cleaner than Pete's and I'm sure as hell you don't want to share with Pads or me. If you really can't sleep in here, then let me get one of the seventh year girls we're on good terms with, and she can help you to your dorm."

Lily flushed. "I don't want anyone else to know how irresponsible I was."

"Fine, then Remus's bed it is," James said. He quickly picked her up, and set her gently on Remus's bed. He kissed her hand, and then pulled the curtains around the bed shut.

* * *

Lily awoke early, thankfully. She quickly, carefully, and quietly ran from the boys' dorm to her own, glad that her dorm mates had all gone home for the holidays.

* * *

**A/N: Me, again XD I don't like how this chapter turned out. It was great when the idea popped into my head... And then it went in a direction I wasn't expecting. Please review, they make me happy, and make me write quicker! It's almost New Years... hmm, anyone have any ideas for a song for me to do?**


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